Level 5 Economics - Swiss Franc

A Banker's CurrencyThe Swiss National Bank differs from all other major central banks because it is viewed as a governing body with private and public ownership. This stems from the fact that the Swiss National Bank is technically a corporation under special regulation. Consequently, just over half of the governing body is owned by the sovereign states of Switzerland. This arrangement underlines the economic and financial stability policies dictated by the governing board of the SNB. The SNB is noticeably smaller than most other governing bodies. Monetary policy decisions are decided on by three major bank heads who meet on a quarterly basis. This governing board creates the band (plus or minus 25 basis points) within which the interest rate will reside.

Much like the euro, the Swiss franc (CHF) rarely makes significant moves in individual sessions. Therefore, keep an eye on this particular currency to trade in the average daily range of 35 pips per day. High-frequency volume for this currency is usually seen during the London session. (For more on the CHF, read Forex: Making Sense Of The Euro/Swiss Franc Relationship.)